When looking at the Durant Lions, you would not assume they are a program that has won just three games in the past two seasons.

"We're by far the most athletic we've been in several years," said Durant head coach Todd Vargas. "Physically there's a lot of things that we're better at."

The Lions boast a ton of size and speed on both sides of the ball but what might help most of all is the experience they bring back.

"We were younger last year," said Durant senior quarterback Jaylon Saxon. "Now that we're older and everything we'll be fine."

"We mentor the younger classman and it's just really fun hopping around," said Durant senior Kayden Mimms.

Durant will also debut a new offense after running an option attack the last few seasons.

"We're opening up the offense," said Vargas. "We're going some gun some under center, some different things but we're trying to use our athleticism on the front lines and on the perimeter to our advantage."

"It's really fun, you know we're throwing the ball more," said Mimms. "There's more opportunities for the ball to be in our hands and it's just really fun flying around.... different routes, different route concepts and stuff like that ."

5A football is not easy in Oklahoma but having the No. 1-ranked player sure helps, as Oregon commit XaDavien Sims gets ready for his senior year. 

The Lions are hoping all these factors put together will lead to more wins in 2023. 

"We feel like this is our year," said Vargas. "We feel like leadership wise on our team it's the strongest it's been, our kids want something better our coaches want something better and we feel like we have a great opportunity this year."

Durant opens the season on August 25 at home against Ada.